1.
MLS GUESTS ARRIVING
0.07

2.
MS OIL TANK AND TANKERS
0.10

3.
MLS CROWD AT CEREMONY
0.12

4.
MCU DAUGHTER OF GENERAL MANAGER GIVES FLOWERS TO PRIME MINISTER
0.16

5.
CU TANKER KEYS TIED UP TO COCONUT FLOWER
0.20

6.
MLS GUESTS PERFORMING "PANSIL"
0.23

7.
MS VIPS PERFORMING "PANSIL" (PAN)
0.31

8.
MS BUDDHIST MONKS
0.35

9.
MS CHAIRMAN ADDRESSING
0.38

10.
CU GUESTS
0.40

11.
CU PRIME MINISTER ADDRESSING
0.45

12.
MLS GUESTS
0.47

13.
MCU PRIME MINISTER TAKES KEY FROM COCONUT FLOWER
0.50

14.
MLS DRIVERS LINING UP
0.51

15.
MS PRIME MINISTER GIVES KEY TO DRIVER
0.54

16.
MS FINANCE MINISTER LOOKING ON
0.55

17.
MLS PRIME MINISTER GIVES KEY TO DRIVER
0.57

18.
CU TANKER
0.59

19.
MLS TANKERS MOVING AWAY (2 SHOTS)
1.04



Initials DR/V/WH/FW



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE CEYLON GOVERNMENT, WHICH RECENTLY PASSED A BILL SETTING UP A CEYLON PETROLEUM CORPORATION, PUT INTO OPERATION ON APRIL 28, AT COLOMBO, THE FORMAL TAKE-OVER OF THE MONOPOLY OF DISTRIBUTION PET PETROL PRODUCTS FROM THREE COMPANIES - THE SHELL COMPANY OF CEYLON LIMITED, THE STANDARD VACUUM OIL COMPANY OF CEYLON, AND CALTEX.

MRS BANDARANAIKE, THE PRIME MINISTER, PERFORMED A CEREMONY BEGINNING OPERATIONS AT THE NEW CORPORATION'S HEADQUARTERS. AMONG THOSE PRESENT WERE DIPLOMATS, MR. T.B. ILLANGARATNA, MINISTER FOR TRADE, MR FELIX DIAS BANDARANAIKE, FINANCE MINISTER, MR N.E. WEERASOORIYA, CHAIRMAN OF THE CORPORATION, AND MR SAM SILVA, GENERAL MANAGER.

BUDDHIST PRIESTS OFFICIATED AT THE CEREMONY. TO BEGIN DISTRIBUTION OF PETROL, KEYS OF THE TANKERS WERE HANDED OVER TO THE DRIVERS. WITH THE KEYS, COCONUTS WERE HANDED OVER TO MARK THE IMPORTANCE OF THE OCCASION.

IN A SPEECH, MR SAM SILVA SAID THE SHELL COMPANY HAD CO-OPERATED WITH THE CORPORATION IN ALLOWING THE USE OF THE PIPELINES. HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO SET UP A REFINERY BY 1965 TO COMPLETE THE NATIONALISATION OF OIL DISTRIBUTION.

THE BILL WHICH SET UP THE CORPORATION EMPOWERED IT TO IMPORT, EXPORT, DISTRIBUTE AND SELL OIL AND TO ACQUIRE COMPULSORILY ANY PROPERTY NEEDED TO ACHIEVE ITS AIMS.

WHEN THE CORPORATION BEGAN FILLING UP ITS TANKS RECENTLY, THE FIRST LOAD WAS KEROSENE FROM RUSSIA.